Riyadh's power tower

Doka formwork is used for the tower, with the familiar yellow climbing system clinging to the top of the core wall.

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Riyadh is getting taller. For years, the majestic Kingdom Tower and the Al Faisaliah Tower were the only tall structures that came to mind in the traditionally low-rise, sprawling capital.

However, a rejuvenation of the Saudi economy and a drive towards diversification has transformed the outlook of this and other cities to create bigger, better buildings as the demand for hotels, apartments and office space gathers pace.

Burj Rafal, conceived in 2008, combines both hotel and apartments, and is one of the most anticipated tall towers.

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Designed by Dubai-based P&T Architects & Engineers (which this year opened a Riyadh office to better capitalise on the upcoming opportunities) on behalf of client Rafal, it is a 62-storey structure sitting atop a six-floor podium, both of which site above a total 20,000m2 area in Assahafa District along the King Fahad Highway.

A Kempinski hotel will occupy the podium and the tower up to floor 22, followed by a floor for mechanical and utilities, followed by serviced apartments. The podium is a spread-out structure of curved walls and a large circular building jutting out that is almost separate from the rest of the podium.

This will contain the Kempinski grand ballroom on the third floor, which will be able to host 2,000 guests, along with 24 meeting rooms. The podium will also feature shops, a ballroom, health facilities and restaurants and cafés, as well as a cigar bar and outside garden.

In the tower, there will be 350 guest rooms, suites and serviced apartments. The top of the building will include Sky Heights, a glass façade to allow scenic views and a private club.

P&T Architects & Engineers began work refining the concept into a workable design in March 2009. The company was working on the design for almost a year, explains James Abbott, director of the company.

By April 2010, Akraz, a specialist in excavation work, broke ground on the site.

The on-site consultant is Erga Saudi Lebanese Company for Project Management, the Riyadh office of the Dubai-based Erga, which is providing supervision from the engineering side.

P&T is still engaged in the project when reviewing changes required by the client or contractor, he says, including the decision to change the floors above the Kempinski that were going to be offices into apartments in light of the development of the office-based mega projects across the highway.

“The biggest change is that the project originally had an office component; this has changed to residential. This was mainly due to being overtaken by events across the road at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) which is purely office buildings.